Take-No-Chances Op In Delhi Shield

Lockdown relaxation unlikely as infections rise and AAP government ramps up tests and containment measures

- Bhavna Vij-Aurora

DELHI chief minister Arvind Kejriwal painted a grim picture as he announced that lockdown-related restrictions could not be eased in the Capital. The number of COVID-19 cases, especially asymptomatic ones, has been rising rapidly in Delhi and any relaxation in the lockdown for economic activities could see a further surge, overwhelming the healthcare system. “I want to offer relaxations, but what if the situation worsens and we fall short of ICUs, oxygen, and ventilators, and people die in large numbers? We won’t be able to forgive ourselves,” he said, addressing mediapersons on April 19. He wants to wait another week before reviewing the decision.

“The Delhi government is doing a day-to-day assessment of the situation. Even we want people to get on with their lives, but seeing the situation in countries like Italy, Spain and the US, it is better to err on the side of caution,” says Jasmine Shah, vice chairman of Dialogue and Development Commission, Delhi government’s top advisory body.

It is definitely not an easy fight for Delhi, now standing at No. 3 on the country’s COVID-19 table with 2,156 cases, behind only Maharashtra (5,218 cases) and Gujarat (2,178). Mumbai (2,455 as on April 21) accounts for nearly half of the cases in Maharashtra and more than half (1,298) the cases in Gujarat were reported from Ahmedabad. In the other most-affected states too, it is the urban centres that are bearing the brunt of the virus. With 585 positive cases, Jaipur tops the list in Rajasthan (1,659 cases). And of the 1,520 cases in Tamil Nadu, 308 are from Chennai.